Hair salon-- what do I do? UPDATE Pg 11

I went to get my hair colored for the first time today. My stylist was excited because I had "virgin hair" and wanted to go lighter. I was very specific and told her I don't want a lighter brown, because I love my natural color. I wanted light. So she brought out examples and we chose a color that would be accessible through a coloring treatment. Fast forward one hour and my hair is a lighter, ugly brown. She offers highlights around my face. I laugh and tell her no way. She offers more highlights or to do a "lift and tone." I came there for color, not highlights, so I said if she can achieve the color I want to do the lift and tone.

Now my hair is gold. I'm extremely dissatisfied. She knows this, and the other stylists were aware of it too since I was in her chair for over 4 hours. So, I want to go back and either get what I paid for or go back to brown. My question is, if they can't fix it and I need to go back to brown (or find another salon that can fix it), should I ask for or expect a refund? Or do I just pay for their screwup?

Also, she used words like "it didn't take" even though "it should have since you have virgin hair," but I know this can't be my fault since I went to a professional for advice on coloring my hair and she said she could do it, but failed.

How are these things handled? I don't want her to "fix" it and would prefer another stylist also.

Comments (115)

Next time you should get high and low lights. With all over color, you are going to have an extreme line of regrowth. You ate going to see very dark roots in just a couple of weeks. If you had asked for highlights, you wont notice the new growth as much.

That said, I agree it's brassy, but it looks like what you asked for. I think you need to go back darker and have highlights. Not white blonde of course, but not brassy. Just a few shades lighter would give you dimension.

I think if you wait a few days and go back and say what I don't like is x, y, z they should be able to either add lowlights in a cool tone to break it up or a toner that will counteract the red/orange in there. Next time you want to lighten ask for natural very well blended highlights and you won't get the streakiness you're wanting to avoid.

Hair color is tricky because the color in the samples are done on white or clear hair, so they don't take into account what soneone's existing coe and tone will do. A skilled colorist knows what colors to use to come up with a formula to get you close to the color you want to achieve. I've had instances where I pointed to a cot in the book though and the stylist has literally pulled that tube off the shelf and put it in my hair, but since we're not working from a "blank canvas" do to speak the color will look nothing like the book.

Sometimes finding a colorist who is skilled in the science and art of it is tricky!

But I do think they should be able to make an improvement to it at no additional charge. Good luck!!

I do notÂ like the new color at all :(Â You so should have just done a mixture of high and lowlights to get a brightening effect.Â With your natural hair color being THAT dark and going THAT light, you are going to have a major issue with grow out.Â Plus it looks unhealthy now - definitely like it's had some trauma done to it.Â

I think she did what you asked but in my opionion it just wasn't a good idea and the stylist maybe should have steered you clear of that color in particular.

If it were me, I would wait until the grow out starts showing, then go back to that salon and suck up the money to have it colored dark again - maybe not as dark, but something that will blend in better than coppery/blonde/light brown.

What is shimmerlights? I must know! :) And thank you for the compliment!Â

I went back and saw a different stylist. The orig stylist was there also and didn't acknowledge me and specifically didn't look my way. She was either embarrassed or pissed off, but either way it was very unprofessional and I let my stylist know what I thought. So she did the highlights first. Then she rinsed and used toner on the entire hair. Fixed my cut, dried, and voila! Perfect!! I LOVE it! I think a golden blonde is good on me if I want to be light, and highlights are a MUST (which I expected a colorist to tell me what I need instead of letting me decide which I had no knowledge until this thread, haha.). It may not look like a big difference in the golden color from the original to the final, but it definitely is IRL.Â

Plus I think I look a couple years younger now. so that's a plus.Â

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Thank you ladies all for your objective opinions. I re-read this thread this morning before my appointment so I knew exactly how to communicate what I wanted, but since I had a professional/experienced stylist, I didn't have to say much. Which is what I had expected in the first place.Â

ETA: I paid for the highlights but they discounted it because I had to come back twice and see a more experienced stylist which pretty much puts me out a second tip, which I tipped both stylists at 25%. But she fixed the tone and the cut for free.Â